Bag changer for use in vacuum cleaners



y 1964 c. J. PAULER ETAL BAY CHANGER FOR USE IN VACUUM CLEANERS 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 28, 1960 /V. A ////////////////7/ I. w

1312167215715 Ofzarles Jpaulez a M T y 1954 c. J. PAULER ETAL BAYCHANGER FOR uss IN VACUUM CLEANERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 28, 1960y 12, 1964 c. J. PAULER ETAL 3,132,932

BAY CHANGER FOR USE IN VACUUM CLEANERS Filed Nov. 28, 1960 3Sheets-$heet 3 United States Patent 3,132,932 BAG CHANGER FOR USE INVACUUM CLEANERS Charles 3. Pauler and George A. Westergren, St. Paul,

Minn assignors to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation of Delaware FiledNov. 28, 1960, Ser. No. 72,187 Claims. (Cl. 55-376) This inventionrelates to vacuum cleaners and in particular to vacuum cleaners arrangedfor use with disposable dirt collecting bags.

In one form of vacuum cleaner utilizing disposable filter bags forseparating the dirt from the air drawn through the vacuum cleaner, asupply of bags is provided within the housing of the vacuum cleaner tobe drawn one at a time into dirt collecting association with the airmoving means thereof. An improved vacuum cleaner of this type isdisclosed in the copending Korrell and Crehore application Serial No.33,479, filed June 2, 1960, now Patent 3,090,181, issued May 21, 1963,for a Vacuum Cleaner and assigned to the assignee hereof. The presentinvention comprehends a vacuum cleaner structure generally of the typedisclosed in said application having a modified form of means forconnecting the bags successively in operative association with the airmoving means permitting facilitated association and disassociation forsubsequent disposal when the bags are filled with dirt.

A principal feature of the invention is, therefore, the provision of anew and improved vacuum cleaner structure.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a vacuum cleanerstructure having new and improved means for selectively associating anddisassociating a disposable dirt collecting bag with the air movingmeans thereof.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a vacuumcleaner structure including movable track means providing facilitatedassociation and disassociation.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of such avacuum cleaner structure including wall means defining an air inlet,means for drawing dirt laden air inwardly through said inlet, a filterbag having an inlet and guide means adjacent the bag inlet, a firsttrack laterally adjacent said air inlet, and a second track oppositelylaterally adjacent said air inlet, the tracks defining confronting,parallel channels for slidably receiving spaced portions of the guidemeans to align the bag inlet with the air inlet inwardly thereof, one ofthe tracks being pivotal about its longitudinal axis to disengage theguide portion therefrom for facilitated removal of the guide means fromthe tracks.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of one embodiment thereof taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary horizontal section of a vacuum cleanerstructure embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical section thereof taken substantiallyalong line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevation thereof with portions brokenaway.

*FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section taken substantiallyalong line 44 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section thereof takensubstantially along line 55 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken substantiallyalong line 66 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section generally similarto that of FIGURE 6 but with the movable track portion illustrated indifferent positions as during the disassociation of a dirt collectingbag therefrom.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially alongline 8-8 of FIGURE 3.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in thedrawings a vacuum cleaner structure generally designated 10 is shown tocomprise a casing 11 mounted on wheels 12 and provided with a frontplate 13 carrying an inlet collar 14 for receiving a hose fitting end15. The casing 11 further includes side wall portions 16 and 17, a rearWall portion 18, a top wall portion 19 and a bottom wall portion 20defining a space 21 within which is mounted a conventional motor-fansuction unit 22. In operation the suction unit draws air into space 21from hose fitting 15 and discharges it outwardly through suitable outletmeans (not shown).

As the air is moved through the space 21 by the suction unit 22, thedirt is removed and collected therefrom in a suitable bag 23 formed of asuitable filter material such as paper and provided with a tab 24 at oneend thereof and an inlet opening 25 adjacent the opposite end thereof.As best seen in FIGURE 1, a plurality of bags 23 are stored in the space21 in circumjacent relationship to the suction unit 22. The bags arestored in a collapsed condition to minimize the storage spacerequirements and are arranged with the tabs 24 thereof juxtaposed to atrack device 26 spaced slightly behind front plate 13. The bags areselectively pulled from the storage position, shown in full lines inFIGURE 1, to the dirt collecting position, shown in dotted linestherein, by suitable manipu lation of the tabs 24 relative to the trackdevice 26 so that while the bag remains in the dirt collecting positionthe opening 25 is aligned with the collar 14 to receive the hose fitting15 within the bag. A pair of guides 27 and 28 are provided adjacenttrack device 26 to guide the bags as they are pulled into this dirtcollecting position.

Referring now more specifically to FIGURES 2 and 4-7, track device 26 isshown to comprise a plate 29 provided with upright end walls 30 and 31,a bottom wall 32 and a top wall 33. An opening 34 is provided in plate'29 aligned with the collar 14 to pass the hose fitting 15 therethrough.As best seen in FIGURE 2, the guides 27 suitable means such as screws35.

The track device further includes a lower fixed track 36 which is upsetfrom plate 29 rearwardly from the lower right-hand portion thereof. Asbest seen in FIGURE 2, track 36 defines an upwardly opening channelinclined upwardly from the horizontal toward the right end wall 31 ofthe plate. Adjacent the upper wall 33 of the plate is a substantiallyparallel second track 37 carried on a rod 38 and pivotally mounted atits opposite ends for movement about its longitudinal axis in anupstanding extension 40 of right end wall 31 and an upright portion 42of top wall 33. As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 4 the track 37 includes anupper guide surface 43 inclined downwardly at a slight angle to thehorizontal toward right end wall 31. The trailing end of the bag 23 isprovided with a peripherally slightly trapezoidal collar, or guide, 44including an opening 45 aligned with the opening 25 of the bag 23, whichcollar is pulled into snug relationship with the inside surfaces of theslightly convergent tracks 36 and 37 as the bag is drawn to the dirtcollecting position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1. Thus, the collaris slidable longitudinally in the tracks to the dirt collectingposition. A stop 46 is upset from plate 29 to extend rearwardly adjacentright end wall 31 and positively limit the movement of the bag to thedesired positon wherein openings 45 of the collar and 25 of the bag arealigned with openings 34 of the plate, thereby automatically positioningthe bag to receive the end of the hose fitting 15 as shown in FIGURE 1.

Track 37 is pivotally urged to the collar receiving position, as shownin FIGURES 5 and 6, by a coil spring 47 having one end extending aroundthe end 39 of the rod 38 extending through wall portion 42 and havingone end 48 engaging wall portion 42 and an opposite end 4-9 engaging adepending presser lug 50 of track 37. As shown in FIGURES 5 through 7upper track 37 includes a down wardly opening channel portion 51defining at its upper end the guide surface 43 and carrying a rearwardlyextending portion 52 from which lug 50 depends. The upper wall 33 ofplate 29 adjacent lug 50 defines a recess 53 through which the lug 50may move during the pivoting of the track 37 as shown in FIGURE 7. Toeffect such pivoting against the action of coil spring 47, a tab 54 isprovided on track 37 upstanding from channel portion 51 which may bepressed forwardly by the users fingers or thumb from the position ofFIGURE 6 through the dotted line position of FIGURE 7 to the full lineposition of FIGURE 7. Thus, as best seen in FIGURE 7, the channel 51 isremoved from association with the upper edge portion 44a of the bagcollar 44 and concurrently the lug 50 is urged against the front side ofthe collar adjacent the upper edge to urge the collar outwardly andthereby release it from the upper track 37. As the collar is elfectivelyreleased from association with track 37 the bag may be removedtransversely from the space 21 simply by the user lifting it therefrom.

When the user releases the tab 54- the coil spring 47 automaticallyrestores the upper track 37 to the position of FIGURES 5 and 6permitting the next bag to be moved into place subsequent to the removalof the dirt laden bag as described above. Each bag may thusly be broughtfrom its stored position, as shown in full lines, in FIG- URE 1, to thedirt receiving position, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1, asrequired. To facilitate the placing of the bags in the storage positionand movement of the bags selecitvely to the dirt receiving position, thelower wall 20 of the casing is provided with an upright guide wall 55rearwardly of suction unit 22 and a bag support 56 is secured to plate29, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, retaining the bags in juxtaposition tothe suction unit within the space 21. Upon utilization of the last bag23 of a group of bags in the storage position, a fresh supply of bagsmay be readily installed by moving them downwardly edgewise between thesuction unit 22 and the support 56 and bringing the leading ends thereofunder the guide 27 to dispose the tabs 24 slightly to the right of guide27 as shown in FIGURE 1. A boss 57 projecting rearwardly from plate 29subjacent the left-hand end of fixed track 36 urges the bag rearwardlyfrom the collar 44 to facilitate the guiding thereof into the tracks 36and 37.

Thus, a facilitated replacement of the dirt laden bags is providedeliminating contact by the user with dirt laden portions of the vacuumcleaner and permitting ready arrangement of the new bag in the dirtcollecting position. Each bag may comprise a separate unit eliminatingany necessity for separation of one bag from another by the user whileyet each bag is stored in position for ready movement to the dirtcollecting position. Further, the cooperating tracks 36 and 37 and stopmeans 46 assure an accurate automatic positioning of the bag collar topermit insertion of the hose fitting thereinto. The movable track 37provides a simple and effective means for releasing the upper edge ofthe bag collar, thereby further facilitating the removal of the dirtladen bag.

Having described our invention as related to the embodiment shown in theaccompanying drawings, it is our intention that the invention be notlimited by any of the details of description, unless otherwisespecified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scopeas set out in the accompanying claims.

We claim:

1. In a vacuum cleaner: wall means defining an air inlet; means fordrawing dirt laden air inwardly through said inlet; a filter bag havinga bag inlet and guide means adjacent said bag inlet; a first tracklaterally adjacent said air inlet; a second track movably carriedoppositely laterally adjacent said air inlet, said tracks definingconfronting channels for longitudinally slidably receiving spacedportions of said guide means to align said bag inlet with said air inletinwardly thereof; and a manually operable means adjacent said air inletmovable through the space between said channels for pressing said guidemeans transversely from the space between said channels.

2. In a vacuum cleaner: wall means defining an air inlet; means fordrawing dirt laden air inwardly through said inlet; a filter bag havinga bag inlet and guide means adjacent said bag inlet; a first tracklaterally adjacent said air inlet; a second track movably carriedoppositely laterally adjacent said air inlet, said tracks definingconfronting channels for slidably receiving spaced portions of saidguide means to align said bag inlet with said air inlet; and pressermeans operably associated withsaid one track for movement, concurrentlywith movement of said second track, through the space between saidchanmeans adjacent the bag inlet; a first track laterally adja-' centsaid air inlet; a second track oppositely laterally adjacent said airinlet, said tracks defining confronting channels for slidably receivingspaced portions of said guide means to align said bag inlet with saidair inlet inwardly thereof; and presser means movably mounted in saidwall means including a portion movable transversely through the spacebetween said channels to disengage said guide means therefrom forfacilitated removal of filter bag from said tracks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,533,057 Senne Dec. 7, 1950 2,771,152 Bramhall et al Nov. 20, 19562,795,289 Dresnek June 11, 1957 2,870,863 Bramhall Jan. 27, 19593,088,260 Seyiried May 7, 1963

1. IN A VACUUM CLEANER: WALL MEANS DEFINING AN AIR INLET; MEANS FORDRAWING DIRT LADEN AIR INWARDLY THROUGH SAID INLET; A FILTER BAD HAVINGA BIG INLET AND GUIDE MEANS ADJACENT SAID BAG INLET; A FIRST TRACKLATERALLY ADJACENT SAID AIR INLET; A SECOND TRACK MOVABLY CARRIEDOPPOSITELY LATERNALLY ADJACENT SAID AIR INLET, SAID TRACKS DEFININGCONFRONTING CHANNELS FOR LONGITUDINALLY SLIDABLY RECEIVING SPACEDPORTIONS OF SAID GUIDE MEANS TO ALIGN SAID BAG INLET WITH SAID AIR INLETINWARDLY THEREOF; AND A MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS ADJACENT SAID AIR INLETMOVABLE THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID CHANNELS FOR PRESSING SAID GUIDEMEANS TRANVERSELY FROM THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID CHANNELS.